Japan and the California ProblemIyenaga, T. (Toyokichi)
History
Japan and the California Problem
Iyenaga, T. (Toyokichi)
Japan -- Emigration and immigration; Japanese -- California
The outcome of this disillusionment has been the appearance of three
currents of thought with reference to the national policy. One is the
ultra Occidentalism which sees nothing good in their own country and
people, and hence is extremely merciless and outspoken in denunciation of
things Japanese, but which admires even to the point of worship almost
everything that is European and American. To this school belong many
younger radicals who are more or less socialistically inclined and who
would like to see Japan converted into a republic or a Bolshevik
communism. Categorically opposed to this thought is another school, which
its adherents call "Japanism." This school sees nothing new or worth while
in things Occidental, and advocates, after the reasoning of Rousseau, a
return to natural Japan. Between these two extremes stand the majority of
sane intellectuals, who clearly perceive both the limitations and the
strength of Japan, and endeavor to benefit through learning and
assimilating the valuable experience of advanced nations.
Adaptable Disposition.
Another notable feature of the Japanese is their meager endowment of
originality and, conversely, their marked aptitude for adaptability. A
glance at the outline of Japanese history shows how much the Japanese
borrowed from other peoples in almost all phases of civilization and how
little they themselves have created. Indeed, there is hardly anything
which belongs to Japan that cannot be traced originally to the earnest
creative effort of other peoples. The same may be said of modern peoples,
who, with the exception of scientific inventions, have mainly derived
their culture from the Greeks and Romans. Whatever difference the future
may witness, the Japanese thus far have been borrowers and receivers of
other races' accomplishments. Perhaps this is the cause of the rapid
development of the Japanese, who have succeeded in imitating and
assimilating the strong points of nations in succession from the lower to
the top of the hierarchy--from Korea, China, India, to Europe. When the
process reaches the top of the ladder, let us hope that Nippon will start
for the first time real creative work.
Spirit of Proletarian Chivalry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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